Effortless
by MaytoDecemberRomanceContest
Summary: Love can find us in the most unfortunate of circumstances. Falling for someone can be hard at times, but when you have found the right one, it can also be effortless.


Contest entry for the May to December Romance Contest

**Title**: Effortless  
**  
****Rating**: M/ NC-17

**Summary**: Love can find us in the most unfortunate of circumstances. Falling for someone can be hard at times, but when you have found the right one, it can also be effortless.

**Disclaimer**: The author does not own any publicly recognizable characters herein. No copyright infringement is intended.

* * *

**Effortless**

Victorian England, 1852.

"Uncle Philip, please! Don't do this," I beg to my father's half-brother as he drags me to the sitting room where my worst nightmare awaits me.

I'm still sobbing, praying to God to work some miracle to make this stone-hearted man, who my father named his heir in his will, stop when we reach the sitting room.

"Philip, what ...?" The sound of a smooth but startled voice makes Uncle Philip stop.

I try to wrench my wrist out of his hand as my ungrateful uncle says to the questioner, "It's all good, Masen. Don't worry about it."

"Don't worry about it? You told me she agreed to it which—by the looks of it—she clearly hasn't," comes an angry snap.

"This is nothing, my friend. Trust me. She's just a shy child. You know how young girls are like."

Uncle Philip's response makes me abandon my attempt to escape and just stare at him, open-mouthed. I cannot believe my ears when he says that I am resisting this ridiculous proposal out of shyness.

I doggedly look down at my feet, not wanting to see the face of the man my family was signing my fate off to.

"Philip, let's get one thing clear," the stranger says firmly. "_You_ are not my friend. I considered Charles a good friend of mine and so when he presented me with the proposal, I had agreed. It's the promise I made to my departed friend that brings me here today."

I feel Uncle Philip's grip on my hand tighten in suppressed anger as he responds in a phony cheerful tone of voice, "Be it so, my good man, be it so. However, the fact remains that you promised to marry Isabella here once my dear brother died, may God rest his soul."

"I'm here to follow through with that promise, aren't I?" a voice as sharp as the edge of a knife retorts.

Through my peripheral vision, I see Uncle Philip nod. "That you are. Now," he says. "If you'll give me a few moments alone with my darling niece, I'll bid a proper farewell to her."

He must have made some kind of gesture of dismissal because my uncle again hauls me back down the hallway.

When I feel sure that I won't be overheard, I decide to take a different approach. "You can't do this to me," I hiss in a low voice. "I'm eighteen. That makes me a woman—who can make her own decisions."

He rolls his eyes at me. "No, Isabella. You are seventeen. You _will be_ eighteen in the next month. So I still have the guardianship of you. And as your guardian, your father's heir and your only living family member, I say you'll marry that man and leave this house once and for all."

"And if I don't?" I ask defiantly.

"If you don't, I will starve you to death before you can turn eighteen." His menacing answer leaves me speechless. The expression on his face tells me that he might very well follow through with his threat.

In my mind, I curse my mother for catching the cold and dying last year. I curse my father for loving her so much to lose the will to live after her death and succumbing to a death brought on by heartbreak.

I curse God for not doing something to help me as I walk silently back to the sitting room to meet my future husband.

**~*~*~*Effortless*~*~*~**

"Isabella, it's my pleasure to make your acquaintance." I hear someone whisper the words from beside my carriage window as the carriage takes me away from the only home I have ever known.

Staring at the quickly disappearing silhouette of my childhood home, I don't respond to his greeting. However, the sound of a throat clearing makes me finally tear my eyes away from the house and look at the man riding beside me.

I see a man with broad shoulders and angular facial features. In the light casted by the setting sun behind him, his short hair looks like the color of a copper coin. If I was to describe him in one word, I would have to choose _striking_, because that's how I see him for the first time.

He seems to grow uncomfortable of the silence between us and opens his mouth. But before he can say anything, I ask, "What's your name?"

He lets out a chuckle and smiles at me, making one end of his lips curve up higher than the other in a crooked smile.

I find the smile on his lips very attractive—a thought that angers me to no end. "Might I ask why you're laughing at me, sir?" I ask tersely.

The smile is still detectable in his voice as he replies, "I wasn't laughing _at_ you, Isabella. I was laughing _near_ you."

The way he calls my name as if he has known me all my life frustrates me, and I say, "Why were you laughing _near_ me then?"

"The way you asked me my name made me realize just how young you are," he murmurs to me.

_Young and about to be forced into marriage_, I added in my head. Verbally, I don't respond to him and just sit there, in a childish display of irritation.

After a few moments, he rides closer to the carriage window and holds out a hand. Bowing his head slightly, he says, "Hello, Miss Swan, I'd like to formally introduce myself. I am Sir Edward Masen, a knight dedicated to His Majesty's services, and the master of Masen Manor."

I look at him in shock and ask, "You're a knight?"

He nods and keeps holding his hand out for me. When he raises an eyebrow questioningly, I blush before raising my hand to let it brush his. "I'm Bella …" I trail off, unsure if I should let him call me by the name my father so adoringly called me.

He pulls my hand to his lips and touches his lips on my skin for a brief moment and then he lets me pull my hand away. "Bella means beautiful."

I stare at him, trying to ignore the slight tingling sensation coming from the place where his lips had touched my skin. Then, I abruptly ask, "How old are you?"

"Too old for you, I'm afraid," he replies slowly. "While I am not as old as your father, I can easily be thought of as twice your age."

I calculate it in my head and ask stonily, "So, you're thirty four?"

"Thirty two, actually," he answers, looking closely at me.

I cannot find proper response to his revelation of his age and for that, decide to keep quiet instead.

He stays quiet for a few moments before sighing. "Isabella, I'm sorry that you have to go through this. Your father was my mentor when I was a boy, and for that, I promised him to take care of you. But I never intended to force marriage upon you."

"Well, lucky for you, my uncle did that anyway," I retort bitterly.

He nods and continues, "Yes, he did. Believe me, if there was a way to protect you from that money-hungry man's clutches without this, I would've gladly done so, but sadly, there's no other way. You don't have any living relatives and the only one I have is my little sister who is merely a girl of seven years of age herself. In such conditions, if I keep you in my home without marrying you, your reputation will be ruined."

I don't say anything to him for a while. It's only when I see the looming shape of a manor house ahead and feel the carriage preparing to slow down, I speak again. "So you're marrying me because you're afraid of the people?" The feelings of loneliness, betrayal by my uncle and the confusing feelings this man brings out in me make me lash out to him.

As the carriage rolls to a stop, he climbs down from his horse and opens my carriage door for me. "Something like that," he murmurs to me at last as I deny his help to get down the carriage steps before leading me toward the enormous manor house—Masen Manor.

**~*~*~*Effortless*~*~*~**

"You may now kiss the bride," I hear the priest officiating the ceremony tell Sir Edward. I feel my back stiffen as he leans his face close to mine.

Either my expression is very much readable on my face or he's that sensitive, but whatever the reason, he catches onto my apprehension. Soft like a butterfly touching a flower petal, he touches my cheek and whispers in a low voice, "You don't need to worry. I won't ever hurt you, my Bella."

I barely manage to look into his eyes for a moment before he presses a kiss on the corner of my lips and straightens back up.

As the priest announces us as Sir Edward and Lady Isabella Masen for the first time, I feel a fluttering in my heart—a ray of hope that being married to him might not be so bad after all.

After a copious dinner, Edward leads me up the stairs toward the bedchambers among cheers of his peers. Suddenly, I feel myself shivering at the thought of what might be waiting for me inside the room he takes me to.

However, he doesn't let go of my hand as he leads me to the corner of the room—away from the massive bed at the centre of the room. I must have looked shocked to him because he smiles at me when he catches my eyes.

Shaking his head at me, he reaches behind the curtains hanging in front of us and opens what appears to be a hidden door. "This will be your room," he says, motioning to the open door. "I had Jane, your personal maid, prepare this room for you. I hope you'll find it to your liking."

I raise a sarcastic eyebrow at him and ask, "That's it?"

He must realize my true question, and nods. "For now, yes. I told you, Isabella, I won't hurt you. So, until you're ready, we'll try to become friends."

His words mystify me, and all I can do is mumble back, "Friendship sounds … nice."

He smiles and steps closer to me, carefully placing a hand on my shoulder. "Until that time, my lady, I look forward to getting to know you." His words are soft-spoken as he moves to place a kiss on my forehead.

Slipping into my bed that night, I realize that I was looking forward to getting to know my husband now as well.

**~*~*~*Effortless*~*~*~**

For the next two days, I see a little of Edward. He seems to always be busy with either his estate or his sword practice with his friend, Emmett McCarty.

Thankfully, I have found a friend in this manor house as well … in Emmett's wife, Rosalie. Although she is a few years older than me Rosalie seems to be well on her way to become my best friend.

So when I hear Rosalie calling for me to look out the window, I join her instantly. "What is it?"

"It's Alice. I've missed her so much!" she tells me, smiling widely.

"You mean Sir Edward's sister?" I ask.

She nods and looks down. "She's such a sweet child. See? That's her carriage," she says, pointing out a little carriage with light pink curtains.

Curiously, I watch the carriage come to a stop at the gates of the manor. Before the driver can dismount to open the gates, the carriage door flies open and a small black-haired girl jumps out of it. "Edward!" she cries out happily as she rushes inside the main gate.

My husband appears momentarily and then with a bright smile on his face, he holds out his arms. "Alice!"

The girl throws herself in his arms and squeals as he lifts her off her feet. "It's good to see you, little sister," Edward tells her. "How's our aunt Esme?"

The girl, or Alice—I should say, gives him a kiss on his cheek and says, "She is good. Uncle Carlisle bought me a new ribbon for my hair."

"And what did you tell him?" He prompts her.

She giggles. "I told him thank you—just like you taught me." At this point the carriage driver, Samuel, joins the brother and sister. His presence seems to remind Alice of something as she draws out of her brother's arms and asks him accusingly, "Sam said you brought a sister for me. Why isn't she here yet? Doesn't she love me?"

Edward brushes a kiss on her head and tells her something in a voice too low for me to hear. Alice, however, seems to be placated by his answer and starts tugging on his hand. "Come on then. Let's go already!"

As I see them vanish inside the house, I meet Rosalie's eyes with a questioning glance at the spot where they were a few minutes ago.

She says, "It seems like it's time for you to meet Miss Alice."

"Where are their parents?" I cannot help but ask.

"They were both killed when Alice was just a baby … by a group of bandits," Rose says sadly. "Edward has cared for his sister like she was his own daughter since then. He even broke off his betrothal with Lady Tanya when she said he should send Alice to live with his mother's sister, Lady Esme Cullen."

"So is that why he hasn't married before?" I ask timidly, finally getting an answer to the question that has plagued my mind several times these past two days.

"Yes, he loves Alice dearly … as does Emmett," Rosalie answers.

"And you."

Her cheeks brighten just a tad bit as she nods. "Seeing Alice makes me yarn for a child of my own."

"I think you'll be a wonderful mother," I tell her, and before I can say anything else, there's a knock on my door.

Having a pretty good idea who it might be, I call softly, "Come in."

Alice Masen steps inside the room, looking shy and mischievous at the same time. "Miss Isabella, I'm here to meet you. I'm Alice," she says in a breath and does a little curtsy.

I laugh at her graceful manners and walk up to her. "Well, Miss Alice, it's very nice to meet you," I tell her, helping her stand straight back up and lowering my head to meet her eyes. "I've been dying to meet you."

She immediately gives me a hug. "Oh! Me too! I've always wanted a sister."

"Maybe now, you'll excuse me from your tea parties, Alice," a deep voice calls from just outside the door.

Hearing his voice, I stand up. "Sir Edward," I greet him, avoiding his eyes.

"My Lady," he replies and walks toward us. As I keep looking anywhere but at him, I feel shocked when he takes my hand in his. "Lady Masen, as you might have already assumed, this little angel is my sister, Alice."

Unable to keep staring at my feet, I meet his eyes just in time to meet his eyes as he pulls my hand to his mouth for a gentle kiss.

"Oh! Rosie, isn't she like a princess?" Alice beams at Rosalie, who laughs and says, "She is, little one, and your brother is her Prince Charming."

**~*~*~*Effortless*~*~*~**

That night, for the first time since our wedding, we eat dinner together as a family—a dinner Edward arranged in honor of his sister's return to home.

All through dinner, I try to sneak glances at the man I married, but he seems genuinely interested in whatever Mrs. Cope, the cook, has put on his plate. By the time dinner comes to an end, I'm ready to head back to my room and not stay in Edward Masen's presence anymore.

Later that night, as I start getting ready for bed, I'm interrupted by a soft knock on the door. "Isabella? May I have a word?"

The sound of Edward's voice coupled with the frustration of the past few days bubbles up at that moment and I just about attack him when I open the door.

"What do you want?" I ask him rudely.

He looks taken aback by my attitude, but seems to regain his bearings fairly quickly. "I need a quick work with you."

"I'm sure it will be _quick_ since you cannot bear to spend too much time in my company!"

His eyes, which were busy looking around my room, snaps back at me and he asks in what seems to be shock, "Whatever do you mean, Isabella?"

"I just don't know why you bothered to marry me in the first place," I reply with vehemence. "You obviously think I'm too naïve for you to spend your precious time with. So why did you marry me?"

"Goodness! You really are behaving like a naïve girl!" he tells me, angrily tugging at his hair.

His words make me feel insulted … as if he had just slapped me.

"Isabella …" he starts, but when I refuse to meet his eyes for the fear that he will notice my eyes brimming with tears, he sighs.

"Tomorrow is the Sunday Mass. I'll be introducing you as the new Lady Masen in our Church tomorrow. So be prepared," he utters the words stonily before turning around and walking back to his room.

**~*~*~*Effortless*~*~*~**

During the mass the next morning, Edward and I behave civilly with each other. I keep hoping for him to acknowledge that his behavior the previous night was not gentlemanly, but he keeps his distant aloofness perfectly in place.

I am just about to exit the church with Alice by my side when I hear it.

"Look at that harlot. She thinks she can lure him into writing off all of his fortune to her."

Turning to see who it is, I find a tall, red-haired woman looking at me with sheer hatred in her eyes. _Is she talking about me?_

The blonde woman beside her lets out a giggle and places a hand on the red-head's arm. "Better be careful, Victoria. The master's … erm … _mistress_ is onto you."

The way she calls me mistress, makes me see red in anger.

"Well, I'm sure he won't be satisfied with an immature chit like her. He'll soon come back to his senses, Lauren," Victoria says in a matter-of-fact tone.

The shame and embarrassment of being called a gold-digger makes tears appear in my eyes. His distant manner these past days and then last night's squabble makes me realize he really does feel that I'm nothing but a naïve little girl … a girl he must have felt trapped to be married to himself.

In my distress, I don't notice when Alice lets go of my hand before it's too late.

"Lady Masen," Edward's voice startles me, and I look up with widened-eyes to find him standing right in front of me. "Are you ready to leave, my love?"

"What …?"

My question doesn't get to leave my mouth as he suddenly leans forward and presses a kiss on my lips. It's a brief kiss, but a kiss nonetheless.

When he straightens up, I notice the babbling of the vulture-like women has seized. He tilts his head to the side and speaks in a loud and clear voice, "If _any_one says anything that might be disrespectful to my wife in any manner, that person shall find themselves shunned. Isabella Masen is the Lady of Masen Manor as well as my wife. Be respectful to her."

With those words, he takes hold of my arm and leads me to our awaiting carriage.

I wait till we're at the manor house and Alice has been seen to her room before rounding on my husband. "Why did you say something even you don't believe yourself?"

When he looks like he doesn't understand what I'm asking, I elaborate. "You forbade them from being disrespectful to me and yet, last night you called me naïve. Surely, a _naïve_ girl doesn't need to be shown respect."

He closes his eyes briefly as if trying to rein in his anger and then says, "I'm sorry for calling you naïve, Isabella. I wasn't thinking …"

"Yes, you weren't," I snap at him. "You know when else you weren't thinking? When you married me. If you don't want me as your wife why did you marry me?"

Quicker than I could have comprehended, he grabs my arm and pulls me to him. He studies my face for a long moment before placing his hands on either side of my face. "If I could only show you just how much I want you, Isabella," he whispers to me, looking right into my eyes.

My breath starts to come out faster. The feel of his breath on my face and that of his body so close to mine, makes me yarn for something I never knew I could want.

Before I can voice my thoughts, he lowers his face to mine and brushes his lips against mine … once … twice … and one more time, as if testing the water. And then, with a deep breath, he increases the pressure of his lips on mine, taking my lip between his and sucking it slowly.

A very un-ladylike noise comes out of my lips as my hands clutch his head to mine. When he carefully pushes his tongue inside my mouth, I feel light headed—from lack of breathing or just him, I don't know.

Finally, when he lets go of my lips, I hold him to me, afraid that I'll pass out if I didn't hold on to his solid figure.

Placing his forehead against mine, he struggles to catch his breath and then says, "My Isabella, I want you; never doubt that. You have no idea how hard it is for me to not to take you right now."

A shiver runs through my body as I listen to him. "Where … where did you learn to kiss like that? I thought you never married before," I ask him.

A glint of amusement touches his eyes as he smirks down at me. "I might have been a bachelor, Lady Masen, but I don't recall claiming to be a novice in the art of kissing."

His remark makes me blush with jealousy. _How lucky must have been those ladies who had been the recipients of his kisses!_

"Does that displease you, my lady?" he asks me with a knowing smile.

Feigning indifference, I raise a shoulder in a half-shrug. "Why would I be bothered if you have been in kissing parties before marrying me?"

My answer makes him burst into a hearty laughter. "My dear," he says softly, caressing my face with his hands. "I might have kissed a few women, but I didn't feel a smidgen of what I feel for you for them."

"And what exactly …?" I don't get to finish my question when the sound of a throat being cleared reaches us, and I realize that we're still outside in the public eyes.

Edward wraps an arm around my shoulder and starts to lead me inside. "Come on, my lady. Let's get inside first before you decide to _interrogate_ me any more."

The way he smiles at me when he talks about the interrogation, I know he means anything but that, and for the first time since our wedding, I feel happy to be here … with him.

**~*~*~*Effortless*~*~*~**

When after a chaste kiss, Edward leaves me that night to go to bed, for a moment, I deliberate joining him in his room, but at the end, I decide to not intrude in his personal space.

However, in the middle of night, I find myself jostled awake. "What …?" I ask groggily in the darkness when suddenly a cold hand grips mine.

"It's raining, and I hate thunders," Alice's voice answers from somewhere around my elbow.

Instead of trying to reason with her that the thunder is nothing to be afraid of, I wrap my arm around her slightly shaking form and softly hum the tune my mother always used to sing to soothe me.

Slowly, her shivers subside and she falls into a sound sleep.

In the morning, I wake up hearing the sound of someone knocking on my bedroom door.

Getting up from bed, I pull the covers on my little sister-in-law and then open the door a small crack.

Edward stands there with his hair in more disarray than usual and his eyes looking very troubled.

"Isabella, I apologize for waking you up so early, but did you happen to see Alice?" he asks in a worried voice. "Irina, her lady's maid, just told me that she couldn't find Alice anywhere. God! Where can she possibly be?"

Seeing him in distress, I place a tentative hand on his arm. "Why don't you come in?"

When he steps into the room, I point to the black-haired head lying on my bed and say, "She was with me. She came to me last night because she was afraid of the thunders. I managed to calm her down and she has slept peacefully for the rest of the night."

"Oh! Thank God!" he exclaims in a fervent whisper and pulls me into a hug. "Thank you so much for taking care of my little sister, Isabella."

I feel my cheeks heat up as I shyly hug him back. "She's my sister now as well, Sir Edward."

He pulls back from our embrace and nudges my chin to make me look at him. Inching his face closer to me, he brushes a kiss on my lips. "How long do I need to wait until you begin to call me by my name? I don't want to be 'Sir' to you anymore, Isabella. I want you to call me Edward."

By some miracle, I don't shy away from his gaze. Instead I look into his eyes and whisper, "Edward."

"Yes, love?" he responds with a smile playing on his lips.

"Will you kiss me properly, please?" My bold request makes him smile even wider as he kisses me once again … this time, holding me close to his chest.

"Kissing you is always my pleasure, my Bella," he says after breaking the kiss. With a playful smile thrown in my way he leaves, making me let out a soft sigh.

_What is he doing to my heart?_

**~*~*~*Effortless*~*~*~**

A few days later, I find myself sitting in Edward's library with my new sister trying to read a story out loud for my benefit.

I hear Rosalie giggle along with Alice as the little girl tries to pronounce a hard word. Smiling at their antics, I turn my gaze out of the window to look at the field that's clearly visible from here.

As I look, I see a man riding a horse at full gallop toward the place where the stables are located. Even with a hat on his head, I can detect the particular shade of bronze I knew my husband's hair to be.

"Rose, do you know where Sir Edward went this morning?"

Rosalie looks up from Alice's book and nods. "Of course. It's the harvest season. He always works in the fields when it's harvest time."

I scrunch up my eyebrows and ask, "But doesn't he have men working for him?"

"Yes," she says. "But I've always seen him work right along with his men. He asked Emmett to call for him this morning when he went to the fields. I think he enjoys working."

Never having seen my father or uncle work alongside their workers, I feel intrigued.

When I hear Edward's voice down the hall, I stand up. "Please excuse me, Rosalie. I'll be right back."

I meet Jane just as I'm walking out of the library. "Jane, have you seen Sir Edward?"

"Yes, my lady," she replies, dropping down to do a curtsy. "He just went up to his room."

Thanking her, I make my way up the stairs, hoping to have a chance to talk to him.

"Edward? May I come in?" I ask from this side of the door.

The door opens, and I feel my breath leave me. Before me stands my husband—wearing just his breeches.

His skin looks sun-kissed from the time he has spent in the sun and a thin line of sweat was dripping down his neck—just about getting ready to slide down his chest.

Taking in a breath, I revert my eyes, not wanting to seem like a girl who was obsessing on her husband.

"Did you want something, my dear?" The sound of his voice makes me look up, and then I see it.

A smirk playing on his lips.

_He knows what seeing him half-naked is doing to me!_ I realize.

Putting on a bold face, I nod. "Yes, I was just here to …" I stop, searching for a harmless topic to discuss with him.

However, he takes hold of my arm and then closes the door behind me before walking forward, making me take a step back for each of his steps.

When I feel the door behind me, he stops, leaning his face down to me. "Yes, Lady Masen?"

The intense look in his eyes steals away my breath, and I cannot find the words to respond to him.

"May I kiss you?" he asks for the first time since we have met.

I don't know what I did or said in response to his request, but the next thing I know, his hands are on my hips, holding me against the door as his lips press incessantly to mine.

Somehow, I manage to move my hands and slowly place them on his back. I feel a slight shiver run down his body at my touch.

_That's interesting._

Experimentally, I run my hand up and down his spine and feel his kisses become more passionate. He slowly moves his hands up my ribcage before grazing the sides of my breasts.

I gasp at the sudden touch, and he smiles against my lips.

His hands move to the tie that holds the front of my dress together as he looks into my eyes.

Suddenly, I feel braver than I felt when I came up to the room a few moments before, and slowly, I drag my hand from his back to his chest, making sure to let my fingers caress the light smattering of chest hair and his nipples.

He quivers under my touch and tugs at the ties of my dress. As the dress gives away, he sees the tops of my breasts spilling out of my corset. Taking in a shuddering breath, he reaches for the corset hooks. "May I?"

I nod at his question, not finding my voice to answer him. And then, he opens the corset, making the cold air hit my overheated skin.

"You are so beautiful, my Bella," he whispers as he allows his hand to feel where my heart beats frantically. "I can't wait to make you mine."

His words make me blush and I hide my face in his chest, unknowingly, bringing our bare skins in contact for the first time.

I inhale his scent and can't help but place a kiss on his chest.

He pulls me away from his chest and kisses me once more before letting his lips follow the path of his hand and kissing the spot right over my heart. "Do you want to be mine, Bella?"

"I'm yours … already," the words tumble out of my lips before I even realize what I'm saying.

The sound of his chuckle at my words makes me open my eyes and look at him and then, I feel my heart melt.

He waits until our eyes meet before kissing the swell of my breast, first one and then the other. My head falls back against the door as I feel myself getting lost in the sensations he was creating.

The moment he takes my nipple into his mouth, I feel like I'm about to burst into flames. The feeling of need for him which was a spark before now seems to be a roaring fire now.

I hold on to him as he continues to kiss me repeatedly.

"Bella?" his voice makes me let out a hum in response.

_Yes, I'm yet to locate my voice._

"Can I make you feel good?"

I look at him in confusion. _Does he not get how amazing I feel when he kisses me like that?_

Weaving my fingers through his hair, I tell him, "Edward, you make me feel very good."

He just laughs and shakes his head at my response. "You didn't understand what I meant, dear. Let me demonstrate."

Before I can work up an argument about my having understood him perfectly, he lifts me up in his arms, making me let out a squeak of surprise.

"Edward, what are you doing?" I ask, unable to move my eyes from his jaw which was right on the vicinity of my lips.

He smiles playfully down at me as I kiss his jaw. "I am going to worship my beautiful bride."

When he lays me down on his bed, I gasp. _Was this it? Was this the moment he was going to make me his?_

He doesn't join me on the bed though. No, he starts to hitch up my skirts as he stands in between my legs.

"Just relax," he tells me when I try to close my legs instinctively. "I'm never going to hurt you."

"I know. I trust you." Once the words slip out of my mouth, I realize that I did trust this man … more than I have trusted anyone else.

He smiles at me before kneeling down on the bed all the while pushing my legs apart inch by inch.

He lifts my ankle and places a soft kiss there and then allows his lips to ghost upwards … high up to my inner thigh.

_Oh God! What is he going to do?_ My heart beats faster as his lips inch closer to the spot where no one has ever touched me before.

And then his lips are on me, kissing me, opening me up to him. I close my eyes and surrender myself to the feelings this man is awakening in me.

When he pushes his fingers inside me, I almost leap out of my skin. "Shh … trust me, Bella," he says, coaxing my legs open for him once again.

After several moments, something foreign happens to me. I feel like I'm floating on air … I feel blissfully happy.

"You're exquisite when you let go of all control like that," he whispers in my ear, and I finally open my eyes to see that he has crawled up my body and now lies between my legs.

I reach out for him and lay a hand on his cheek. "You make me lose all control, Edward."

He smiles down at me and starts to lean his head down to mine for a kiss when the sounds of feet bounding up the stairs reach us.

"Looks like Alice is done with reading," I tell him.

He sighs and helps me sit up before lacing up my dress for me. "You are amazing, you know that?"

His words make me smile as I straighten my dress and slip out of the room.

**~*~*~*Effortless*~*~*~**

"Lady Masen? Are you feeling well? Your cheeks seem a little flushed, m'lady," Mrs. Cope's observation during dinnertime brings out a chuckle from the man sitting next to me.

I almost choke on my water and after finally gulping it down try to smile at the cook. "I'm perfectly fine, thank you. The room is a trifle warmer this evening."

"I'd wager it feels warmer to you," Edward's whispered words make me blush once again.

And in that moment, I decide that I'm going to take the upper hand this night no matter what happens. _He thinks he is so smart simply because he's older in age! I'll show him!_

When he walks me to our rooms, I don't even spare him a glance as I brush past him toward my room.

"Isabella?" His hand on my arm stops me when I reach for my door.

Silently, I stand there, waiting for him to catch up to where he made the mistake.

"Are you upset with me?"

His question makes me turn my head to the side and ask coldly, "What do you think? I was mortified by your comment, Edward."

He doesn't speak for a heartbeat, and then suddenly I feel his presence behind me as he wraps his arms around me. "I'm sorry if you felt uncomfortable, sweetheart. The fact that I was the one who made you feel so hot is very arousing," he whispers in my ear, his voice taking on a deeper timbre. "You make me feel young, my Bella. You bring out the playfulness in me."

Unable to resist him anymore, I turn in his arms, putting my arms around his neck, I kiss him. "Edward, I love how playful you are when you are with me. Besides, you're not very old, you know?"

He raises an eyebrow at me and asks with an impish grin on his lips, "Do you have a thing for older men, Lady Masen?"

Weaving my fingers through his hair, I bring his lips forcefully to mine and kiss him the way he had kissed me a little while ago. "Maybe I just have a thing for _you_, Sir Edward."

A sound akin to a groan leaves his lips before he puts his lips on mine, sweeping me off my feet as he does. "I don't think I can stay away from you anymore, Bella."

His confession, coupled with the intense look in his eyes makes me take a deep breath and whisper back, "Maybe I don't want you to stay away from me. Maybe I want to be here … with you."

He stills and looks at me closely, giving me the distinct impression as if he can see through my soul. "You know what you are saying, Bella?"

"Yes," my response comes in a breathy whisper.

He doesn't move toward the bed. Instead, he slowly puts me down on my feet. Before I can voice my confusion at his actions, his lips are everywhere on my skin just like his hands reach for the ties of my dress.

Once my dress and chemise lie in pools of fabrics around my feet, he reaches for my hand, placing it right where his heart beats rapidly. And then, he leaves it there.

The expression on his face tells me that he is giving me the permission to explore him … to love him.

My hands shake a little as I pull his shirt over his head. Once my hands fall on the tie of his breeches, he stills them. "Are you sure, Bella? There's no coming back from this."

Silently, I nod and look right into his eyes as I reach for him once again. This time, he allows me to untie them and push them off his hips.

Seeing him for the first time, I slowly drag my finger along the part of him I had felt that afternoon.

He shudders at my touch, and when I brush my thumb along the tip, he grabs my hand. "Love, if you don't stop right now, I'm going to embarrass myself, and I really don't want to let go until I make you mine."

"Then make me yours." My bold words surprise me as my arms rise up to loop around his neck once more.

He leads me to the warm, inviting bed and then with great tenderness, does what I asked of him—he makes me his—forever.

Sometime after I fall asleep in his arms, I wake up feeling something cold on my thigh. As I try to move my leg away from the source of the chill, a hand stops me.

"Shh, Bella, calm down, love," Edward's voice soothes me in the darkness of the room.

"Edward?" I ask, suddenly feeling wide awake.

He moves up to look at me, and in the faint moonlight streaming in through the window beside us, I see a brilliant smile on his face and a washcloth in his hand.

"Let me care for you, please? You gave me yourself tonight, my beautiful Bella. Now let me take care of you."

I blush seeing the intensity of his gaze and murmur, "I'm not that much of a prize, husband."

If it was even possible, his smile broadens further as I call him my husband. He kisses my temple, my eyelids, the tip of my nose and finally my lips before looking back up at me. "You, my wife, are precious to me."

This time, I don't argue with him because his kisses and the way he loved me few hours prior, make me feel cherished.

So, surrendering myself to the will of my overly-attentive husband, I allow him to clean me up.

_It feels good to have someone take care of me for a change._

**~*~*~*Effortless*~*~*~**

About two months after our wedding, I sit across from Jane as I look despairingly down at the knotted ball of yarn on my lap.

"It's hopeless, Jane," I say with a resigned sigh.

"Now, now, my lady, do not think you can't do it." Jane tries to encourage me. "You can do it if you just master the pattern. Just think how pleased Master will be when he sees what you have made him for the winter."

I roll my eyes at her. _As if I can finish making this scarf for Edward before the winter passes!_ The way I'm learning, I'm pretty sure he wouldn't get to wear it come next winter as well.

However, through my despair, I imagine how handsome my husband will look wearing the scarf if I manage to finish knitting it for him.

So much has changed in the last two months. I have changed. I'm not the same helpless girl who left her father's house after being shunned by her uncle. No, now, I feel like every bit of the mistress of Masen Manor as I could be.

And to add to it, I feel content to be married to Sir Edward Masen.

I still get the side-eyed glances and whispered insults on occasions, but when I remember how much those vile women don't know I am getting just by being able to call Edward mine, all of the hurt from the insults go away.

"Lady Masen! Lady Masen!" Mrs. Cope's shrill voice calling for me alerts me that something must be very wrong to make the usually soft-spoken woman yell like that.

Dropping my knitting on the ground, I stand up and ask in a soothing manner, "Mrs. Cope, what is it? Why do you look so worried?"

"It's the Master, m'lady." Four syllables … that's all it takes to make my heart stop beating for a moment before picking up beating double-time.

I grab her hands in mine and demand of her, "The Master? What? What happened to him? Please, Mrs. Cope, tell me what's happened to my husband!"

She struggles to pull air into her lungs as she replies to me, "He has been injured, Ma'am. Samuel just brought him in with the help of Sir Emmett. He's been taken into your bedchamber. Samuel tells me that he has been unconscious for some time now …"

I don't wait for her to finish as I rush toward the where Edward lies. Not for a single moment the thought of propriety about running through the house for its mistress occurs to me. The only thing my mind focuses on is the man lying unconscious on his bed … on our bed.

When I push the doors open to our rooms, both Samuel and Emmett stand up in shock of my sudden appearance.

Without sparing them a glance, I go to the bed where Edward lies, looking deathly pale and asleep. "Edward?" I call his name in a broken whisper.

I wait for him to answer but when he remains motionless, I round up on his friend. "Sir Emmett, what happened to him? Why isn't he waking up? What is wrong with him? Tell me!"

My frantic questions seem to unnerve him as he puts up his hands in an attempt to calm me down. "Lady Masen, please, calm down," he says. "Edward was trying to train a new horse he has procured recently and the devil horse threw him off."

"And?" I ask impatiently, knowing for sure that being thrown off of his horse wouldn't knock him out like this.

He shuffles his feet and then continues, "He … uh … he hit his head on the ground pretty hard when he fell and he has been unconscious ever since."

A head injury is a nasty thing even I know that. So biting my lip in worry, I ask him, "How long has he been like this."

He looks out the window thoughtfully and then replies, "About half an hour, I think."

Nodding to him, I move away to take a seat on the bed. I carefully lift Edward's head from the stiff pillow and pull in on my lap, needing to feel his solid presence with me.

"Samuel, will you please bring some water for Sir Edward?" I request the coachman in a forced calm voice.

And then, I settle down to wait for him to wake up._ He has to wake up … for me._

**~*~*~*Effortless*~*~*~**

I wait for what feels like an eternity before the sound of a groan comes to my ears. Diverting my eyes from the patterns of the bed frame, I look down at my husband and finally, it feels like I can breathe freely again.

Bright green eyes look up at me from my lap.

"Bel-la?"

The sound of his hoarse voice uttering my name feels like the sweetest sound in the world, and finally, I let go of the tears I have been holding in.

Without even trying to answer him, I cry; not caring that we are surrounded by Emmett, Rosalie, Alice, Mrs. Cope, Jane and Samuel.

"I'm fine, love," he says slowly, raising his hand to brush away my tears.

I grasp his hand in between my hands and hold it to my cheek, needing to feel him alive and with me. "Oh, Edward! I was so scared," I tell him at last.

He tries to smile at me as he strokes my cheek. "It's just a few scratches, Bella. I'll live."

His attempt at shrugging it off angers me, and the tension from the past few hours come bubbling out of me. "Scratches? _Scratches_, Edward? Do you know you have a huge bruise on your forehead? Do you have any idea how long you've been unconscious? What could possibly have possessed you to try to ride an untrained horse?"

"I_ was_ training it," he says meekly, but I continue on with my tirade, not yet finished with reprimanding my husband.

"What if something had happened to you? What would've happened to Alice?" I ask him furiously, pointing a hand at the little girl who stands clutching the hand of the Cook. "You are the only one she has in this world."

"That's not true," he counters me. "She has you now. I know you love her. You would've taken care of her."

In my anger, I let out a small shriek of frustration. "And me? What about me, Edward? You're my family too. Did you even stop to think what would I've done if something happened to you?"

"I've already drawn up a will …"

"Oh my God!" My outburst shocks him into silence. "For someone who pretends to be so mature because of his age, you're really acting like a child right now! Don't you get it? I don't care about your money! I care about you. I love _you_, okay?"

"What?" He blinks up at me, looking very confused.

I brush away the tears running freely down my cheeks and tell him the words I've been holding in my heart for some time now. "I love you, you sweet, amazing, immature and foolish man. I love you with all my heart and I don't think I can live without you."

He carefully sits up on the bed, and suddenly I realize that we're alone in the room. I figure out that everyone either left when I had my sudden outburst or just didn't want to intrude in this private conversation, or more possibly for both reasons.

"Bella, love, look at me." He places a hand on my cheek and pulls me to him. "Do you know why I call you 'love'?"

His question puzzles me, and I shake my head slowly. "Because I love you, Isabella Masen."

"But you've called me that for a while now."

"Yes, I think I've been in love with you for a while now, my Bella." His words warm my heart and I throw myself into his arms.

Holding him to me, I press a kiss on his lips. "Say it again."

He laughs at my request, but complies nonetheless. "I love you, my beautiful wife. You are the best thing that could've possibly happened to me, and I bless the day when I made that promise to your father to take care of you."

I smile at him and kiss him once more because he is mine and he loves me. "I think I need to take care of you for a change then. Lie down and close your eyes. I'll be right here when you wake up."

He does as asked only to open his eyes once more after a few seconds. With his eyes looking up at me, he smiles. "You really do love me."

It's a statement, not a question. However I do answer him with a smile of my own. "How could I not when you make falling in love with you so effortless?"

**~*~*~*One Year And Three Months Later*~*~*~**

I gasp, bunching up the bed covers in both of my hands. It's agony … it's the sweetest kind of torture … it's …

"Edward, please!" I cry out in frustration.

"I'm not done with you yet." His voice comes out muffled from somewhere close to my navel. "I don't think I'll ever have enough of you."

His words coupled with his touch, set my body on fire, and with a strength that surprises even me, I pull him up to my face. "You're always so stubborn!"

He chuckles against my mouth, letting his hand move up my ribcage to caress my breast. "Your body is changing, love. Don't blame me for wanting to worship it."

As his hand starts to stroke in just the right rhythm, I let out a whimper before grasping his hair in my hand. "I ran into Victoria Johnson and Lauren Mallory when I went to town with Alice today."

He stops his ministrations and looks up in my eyes, a worried scowl already on his face. "What did they say to you? I swear, Bella …"

"Shh," I shush him, putting a finger on his lips to silence him, and then kiss his cheek. "They were very sympathetic to me actually."

"Sympathetic?" he asks, looking surprised.

I nod. "Uh-huh. They said that they felt sorry that I had to marry you—someone a little old for me. They also seemed to think that you would've been better off marrying someone older than me; more mature, you know?"

His scowl deepens at my revelation. "What did you say?"

I try to conceal the smile attempting to break through my mask of seriousness, and reply nonchalantly, "I told them that I am very happy with my married life and that they would do well to ponder on their own lives instead of their landlord's."

"And?" he presses, probably wanting to know their response.

I smile at him and say, "I also told them that I feel blessed to call you my husband and that the fact that I get to spend forever with you is everything I need to be happy."

A beautiful smile takes over his face as he leans down to kiss me, making our bodies align perfectly.

"You make me deliriously happy too, love," he whispers against my lips. "I love you, Isabella Masen."

As we start to move our bodies in the perfect rhythm for us, he whispers his love for me over and over again.

When we collapse in each other's arms, he moves to plant a kiss on my ever-growing belly and whispers, "Papa loves you, sweet child. I cannot wait for you to get here. You, mama, Auntie Alice and I will make a perfect family."

His words bring a smile on my face, and I lie there feeling utterly content to be in his arms.

Yes, I, Isabella Masen, love my husband very much, and finally, life is just how it should be.

* * *

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